Donkeys and mules in Santorini are part of the
native charm of the island and can be loads of fun. During
the summer the main business of the day is carting the tourists
up and down the endless steep steps which connect Fira town
down to the small port of Ormos, and Oia to Ammoudi harbour.
They are extremely adept at negotiating the steps, but they
do have a tendency to go very fast and take the bends like
racing motorcycles.
One true story tells of a well built Greek lady having to
use the donkeys as local transport since the cable car had
done its last run. She was also carrying bags and suitcases.
As the line of four legged friends were haring up the mountain
side, she called out to the donkey driver " slower my
man, I am going to fall off " to which the donkey driver
replied " even better, one woman less in this world to
plague us ".
Santorini donkeys also have a nasty habit of defecating on
the pavements.

Words of Advice
Avoid arguing with a donkey or the donkey driver & watch
where you step.A point to be noted
Without the assistance of these hard working creatures, most
of the Caldera as you know it today would not exist. All the
work of transporting contruction materials to create the homes
and hotels up and down this unbelievably difficult terrain
was done by our furry friends. During the winter months this
practice still continues.

Driving in Santorini

Renting a Car

To rent a car in Santorini
you need an international or national driver's license,
held by the driver for at least 1 year. The minimum driver's
age is 21 years for cars and jeeps. We advise you pay
the extra for Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). It's worth
the money.

Renting a Bike

If the customers come from a
country-member of the European Union (exempt is Greece),
a moped driving license valid in their country is sufficient.
For customers coming from countries outside the European
Union, an international moped driving license is compulsory.
Crash helmets are compulsory.

Drinking & Driving

Drinking and Driving is frowned
upon with harsh penalties be you four wheeled or two.
Alcotests / police blocks are a regular thing all year
round, especially in the summer season on Saturday nights.
Seat belts are compulsory.

Parking

The main roads only have 2 lane
traffic, and within the villages, the roads are very narrow.
Fira the capital and other prominent villages on the island
have free public parking areas. Use them to avoid traffic
congestion and parking fines.

Driving in Greece

When driving in Greece you must
drive on the right hand side of the road.

Medical Points of View

Don't Drink the Tap Water

The Cyclades islands have a
general problem with water, the lime content is at an
all time high. And since there has been no successful
solution with de-salinating the water, except in Oia which
has its own desalination plant, anything you drink should
be bottled. For bathing and general washing feel free
to use tap water. Water conservation is high priority
& considered valuable on the island, since it is brought
in from the mainland, & visitors should respect this.
All kiosks sell bottled water, but more reasonable prices
can be found at larger supermarkets.

Using Drugs

Drug offenders are harshly delt
with in Greece. Visitors are subject to detention, court
trial and severe penalties such as imprisonment, deportation
and/or being blacklisted.

Sunbathing

Sunbathing is one of the main
attractions of coming to a Greek island. But the sun is
fierce, so avoid the hours of 12 midday to 3 in the afternoon,
wear a cap, plenty of sun block and drink a lot of water.
TOO much alcohol the night before could result in severe
dehydration and sun stroke

Santorini Shopping

Late night shopping is a must
on the island - many places stay open till after midnight
(summer season only). Pharmacies take a lunch time break,
on weekends you will find a note in the door telling you
who is on duty.

Tipping

Many cafes, restaurants, bars
& clubs don't include tips for the staff on the bill,
so anything extra you feel you would like to leave is
much appreciated.

Electricity

You will find electrical current
at 220 volts, 50-cycle AC. Appliances of lower voltage
would require a transformer.